This is the weekly summary of the Humanist Network News (HNN). The Humanist Network News (HNN) is published every Wednesday via e-mail and the Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS) Web site. This diary is a slightly reformatted copy of the weekly email, posted every Thursday.
August 4, 2005
Humanist Network News
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- NY Gov. threatens to veto emergency contraception bill
- Didn’t make it into Hell the first time?
- An Iranian passion
- Brazil reduces HIV; U.S. reduces rights
- Where to, HAC?
- R.S.V.P. for IHS art event Aug. 9
- Rationally Speaking column evolves into blog
- Sweet Reason reader survey still open
- Film Review: Me and You and Everyone We Know
- Letters to the Editor
- Media Roundup
- Strange Times
- Cathartic Comics
- Humanist Humor
- Poll of the Week
Summaries and links across the jump. As always, if one of these stories captures your interest, feel free to write a more in depth diary.
I normally don’t comment on the HNN, but a few stories really jump out at me as being significant this week, so I have added MY TAKE to a few of the summaries.
1. NY Gov. threatens to veto emergency contraception bill
Now that New York’s governor has his eye on the presidency, his typically pro-choice stance may start leaning further to the right. News reports indicate that Gov. George Pataki is planning to veto the Unintended Pregnancy Prevention Act. IHS Public Policy Director Tim Gordinier has been lobbying for this emergency contraception legislation along with other progressive organizations in New York. Comments by Gordinier. MORE. MY TAKE: I think this shows the power of the religious right in national politics. They are a small organization with big political power.
2. Didn’t make it into Hell the first time?
Author Warren Allen Smith is revising his five-year-old 1,268-page Who’s Who in Hell in order to put it onto the Web. In case you didn’t make it into Hell the first time around, you have until Nov. 15, 2005 to be listed in this international directory that currently lists more than 10,000 humanists, freethinkers, naturalists, rationalists and other non-theists. MORE. MY TAKE: Well, I certainly will have to write the author and ask to be included. The irony of such a list is that most of us humanists don’t believe in hell, anyhow.
3. An Iranian passion
In a guest column, Lathe E. Snyder shares a personal outrage for the execution of two gay teenagers in Iran. The boys were executed two weeks ago according to religious laws. Their crime? Being gay. MORE. MY TAKE: This story horrifies you and I, but I’m sure many in the religious right in this country wish we had such a law.
4. Brazil reduces HIV; U.S. reduces rights
In its efforts to stop human trafficking, the U.S. government has decided to withhold money from all groups that do not condemn consensual adult prostitution. Sexual Intelligence publisher Marty Klein explores this issue. MORE. MY TAKE: I am horrified at how retrograde we have become as a country. Next stop — the middle ages?
5. Where to, HAC?
The Humanist Association of Canada is at a crossroads, writes columnist Doug Thomas. In his column, Thomas takes a look at the possible future of organized humanism in Canada. MORE
6. R.S.V.P. for IHS art event Aug. 9
Please don’t forget to r.s.v.p. for the Aug. 9 art exhibit and reception at the Institute’s Humanist Center. MORE
7. Rationally Speaking column evolves into blog
Evolutionary Biologist Massimo Pigliucci, Ph.D., has announced that his long-running column, “Rationally Speaking” has evolved into a blog. MORE. MY TAKE: This looks like it could be an excellent science blog. I have already bookmarked it.
8. Sweet Reason reader survey still open
If you haven’t already, please remember to take the “Sweet Reason” survey. MORE
9. Film Review: Me and You and Everyone We Know
“Me and You and Everyone We Know explores the intricacies of our everyday lives,” writes Carolyn Braunius. MORE
10. Letters to the Editor
Letters on: Lance Armstrong; using the terms “gods” and “post-theological”; religious violence; humanist weddings in the U.K. and MORE. MY TAKE: I love that Lance Armstrong gives credit for his triumph over cancer to his doctor and medical science. So often we hear about people who face death seeking solace in religion and praising God for their recovery. And in the world of athletics, we constantly hear jocks thanking God for their talent and success. Lance has been a notable exception and a breath of fresh air in both of these.
11. Media Roundup
“Bush endorses ‘intelligent design'” ; “Scientology: More than a celebrity Cruise?” ; “Black Preachers Embrace Homosexuality as Another of God’s Works” ; “Teacher sex scandal at Catholic School” ; “Who is Tariq Ramadan?” ; “40,000-year-old Human Footprints May Rewrite History” ; “Ape To Man – Premieres Sunday, August 7 @ 9/8c” ; What Darwin really thought” ; “Butterfly unlocks evolution secret” ; “Iraq Constitution May Erode Women’s Rights” ; Remembering the Humanism of Martin Luther King” MORE. MY TAKE: I often ignore this section, but this week there are some interesting stories in here that I hadn’t heard about.
12. Strange Times
“‘Marriages’ but no sex for gay clergy” ; “Fruit salad tree was a hoax” ; “Scientists measure cow emissions” ; “Report: Yoga Stir Tempers in Norway Prison” MORE.
13. Cathartic Comics
…an assortment of cartoons and comic strips about humanism, atheism, religion, science and freethought. MORE
14. Humanist Humor
New Evening Classes For Men!!! READ THE JOKE. MY TAKE: My wife enjoyed this…
15. Poll of the Week
Should adult prostitution be legal? CAST YOUR VOTE. MY TAKE: This seems like a no-brainer to me: YES.
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About the IHS:
The IHS promotes nonreligious perspectives on social, political, and ethical issues and serves as a resource for and about the humanist community. Questions, comments, concerns, got a better joke or a story? Send a letter to the editor.
If anything here interests you, you may also be interested in my diary on what it is like to be a secular humanist in today’s political climate: I Am The Boogeyman.
